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High Mercury Levels in Tuna Cause Alarm

Posted January 28, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Health, Lifestyle Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating

We have all read reports and seen warning signs in stores that warn us about mercury consumption in seafood. Earlier this week, the New York Times published an article claiming that blue fin tuna has higher levels of mercury than other types and is considered unsafe for consumption. Japan responded by saying that eating tuna does not have a substantial health risk because the levels of mercury are not considered dangerous. Are they right? How risky is eating tuna? Who decides how much is too much?

Mercury has attracted attention over the last few years after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned pregnant women and small children not to eat too much mercury-bearing fish. Ongoing studies are underway, but no agency currently tests food products for mercury levels. This is causing consumers to become alarmed.

Last Wednesday, the New York Times reported after testing sushi made from blue fin tuna that each piece contains mercury levels that are unacceptable. Because blue fin tuna live longer than other types of tuna, they accumulate more mercury in their bodies from the ocean as they mature, and thus pass it on to tuna eaters. The problem is that it is very hard to tell what type of tuna you are getting when you order sushi. The testing concluded that if you eat more than six pieces of sushi in a week, you are consuming levels of mercury that exceed the limits posed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Japan disputed the New York Times report. Teruo Tagaki, the chief of the Fisheries Agency’s products safety office said, “The newspaper is exaggerating the risk.” The Japanese government is aware that certain types of tuna contain more than 1 part per million, but they do not consider those levels toxic. They have yet to establish a part per million limit on seafood in Japan; however, they do warn pregnant women against eating seafood with high levels of mercury because of critical effects on the nervous system.

The general rule of thumb is that seafood is only as healthy as the environment that it comes from. Over 50 years ago, Chisso Corp, a chemical company in Japan, dumped tons of mercury in the Minamata Bay, causing thousands of deaths to those who ate the fish out of the bay. The rising mercury levels in fish in the United States are a testament to the safety of our waters.

Although both the United States and Japan have different standards of safety in seafood, the best thing to do is use your judgment. If you are worried about the safety of the waters seafood comes from, the best thing to do would be to skip the sushi and eat something else. On the other hand, if you feel safe about eating tuna or sushi, just be careful how much you consume, and if possible, find out where your tuna comes from before you eat it. For more information, check out the EPA’s website at www.epa.gov to learn more about mercury.

Sources and other research information: [NY Times]; [Bloomberg]; [newser]; [picture]

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Tags: bloomberg, bluefin tuna, environmental protection agency, fda, fish, food and drug administration, food products, healthy eating, japan, mercury, mercury levels, new york times, nutrition, pregnant women, public health, risks, seafood safety, sushi, tuna, unites states, water contamination

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